Captain Matchbox & Beyond (Book)

Captain Matchbox & Beyond

by Mic Conway’s National Junk Band

Captain Matchbox & Beyond – The music and mayhem of Mic and Jim Conway

This book uncovers the zany world of Captain Matchbox, but goes far beyond by following the extraordinary careers of Mic and Jim Conway. After Matchbox finally struck out, the brothers were intimately involved with the Pram Factory and Circus Oz. Jim Conway eventually broke free of ‘novelty’ to become one of Australia’s premier blues musicians, while the name Mic Conway has become synonymous with ‘new vaudeville’ in Australia.

But beware, if you choose to climb aboard the Conway rollercoaster you will encounter gratuitous nudity, free love, tumultuous relationships, unashamed namedropping, tragic vehicle crashes, circus acts, an incurable debilitating disease, political satire, ungodly language, and a barrage of puns and bad gags.

This book, possibly more than any other, captures the spirit of the Australian ‘counterculture’ from the 1970s through to today. Captain Matchbox & Beyond: The Music & Mayhem of Mic & Jim Conway is an honest and entertaining look at the life and times of two iconic Australian musicians. Jim Conway is one of our best harmonica players and Mic Conway is a distinctive and unrivalled, multi-talented vaudevillian, bohemian entertainer.

This book also gives an insight into much of the interesting underground art, music and politics produced in Melbourne and Sydney since the late 60’s. There is also a great selection of photographs of people,posters and record covers.